La cuenta regresiva

My coworker Enrique, who is Colombian, taught me a new word this past week: cuenta regresiva. It means countdown. I'm certainly counting down the hours until I'm back in Spain.

I'm excited but a smidge nervous. What if I've lost so much fluency I can't effectively communicate? The thought of freezing up whilst talking with friends and strangers isn't pleasant, but I'm praying that God would be evident even in my tussles with Castilian.

So here I sit in transit, waiting with great expectation until I can board the plane and get my first glimpses of the buff-colored soil of my favorite meseta.

Until then...

On Long-Term Discipline

Discipline is tough. Long-term discipline is even harder.
Last night I debated with myself over getting takeout (spicy tuna sushi, mi amor!) because I wanted to save some pocket money for Spain. Simply telling myself that one takeout meal would equal nine (!) cafes con leche in Madrid wasn't sufficient. My will only goes so far, especially when it comes to sushi.
But I did end up cooking instead.
It sounds ridiculous, but I'm learning that the long term rests upon the small battles. Paul Tripp says we live our life in 10,000 little moments. Please continue to pray for the little moments leading up to this Spain trip and beyond. Step by step, I see God's leading.

Take a letter, Maria

I was excitedly telling a friend what I plan to do in Spain in September when he interrupted me. "Send a prayer letter."
I protested, saying that since it wasn't an "official" missions trip I needn't bother people. Prayer is a bother? My pride trips me up a lot.
Please pray for my time in Spain in September. Pray I would return with an ever-clearer vision of what God wants me to do as a worker. Pray He would meet my needs and help me to be prudent so I can be sent in His timing.

Papercutting for God

One of the more amusing parts of my job is the little side-tasks that spring up throughout the week. This week we needed to send 38 copies of a theology book to elders and deacons in Colombia. But since they were to be transported in a suitcase, the books needed to quickly lose weight. Thank goodness for our industrial-grade paper cutter! By slicing off the wide margins, the books were slim enough to travel.
One thing the Lord keeps teaching me is how little moments and interactions might not seem significant, but they can have a big impact.
So in this small moment, pray for Spain. :-)

Boomerang Back

I love booking flights. Because it's a part of my job at Tenth, I get to hunt down the best itineraries for short-term and career partners, pastors and other global outreach friends. Managing schedules, pricing and connections is a great puzzle challenge for me.
I booked my September tickets for Spain a few days ago and I'm extremely thankful because I managed to get them (with a little finagling) for less than half of the average price. My total trip cost will be less than $850. Between selling a few things on Ebay (prom dresses, anyone?), cutting my coffee spending and raising a little, I'm trusting God to provide for this venture.
So what will I be doing in September? Besides visiting Miss Rosario in Barcelona, I'm praying that God will give me a better sense of where he would place me in Spain. I also hope to visit the church in Águilas and catch up on the work there. If I have the opportunity to help with a conversational English group or something similar, I'll be happy to help with that, too.
Pray for me to move forward in wisdom and faith, fixing my eyes on Jesus. 

Holding Pattern

I recently moved to Fishtown, a section of Philadelphia. I like the quirks of the neighborhood and city life. Every day I can hear Spanish, Albanian and Mandarin during my commute on the El.
I'm returning, God willing, to Spain in September for about two weeks. I'll be visiting one of Tenth's retired global partners in Barcelona. It's going to be great to see Miss Rosario since we've written back and forth the last few months.
Otherwise, life continues in Philadelphia. I'm still intent on returning to Spain in a more permanent capacity, but in the Lord's timing. I can't believe that in June it will be five years ago that God started working in my heart when I arrived there for the first time. God is good.

Wanted

In Spanish you don't commonly say "I love you." Instead, it's literally translated "I want you." Part of being loved is knowing you belong and you're wanted.
I'm currently in a job where I feel wanted and loved, and I love and want this job. I'm working as the Global Outreach Assistant for Tenth. I get to be the liaison between the congregation and the workers. I get to talk about global outreach all the time. I get to work with people I respect and admire for their faith and work.
Of course, I'm ever the instigator because I'm always trying for a bigger emphasis on Spain and the Hispanic world. One of my coworkers joked that I should fly my three-foot Spain flag out my office window during GO Conference (our biggest annual Global Outreach event). I entertained the thought longer than I should've, but managed to sneak a Spain flag into a table arrangement at the dinner that served to cap the conference.
I recently found that we have a retired worker up near Barcelona, so I'm going to try to visit her when I get across the pond next.
Please continue to pray for Spain. ¡España, te quiero!